Reaction motors



July 2, 1963 H. J. WALTER REACTION MOTORS Filed 0G13. 28, 1959 FL/e/ /Vozz/e /9 l j 1N ENTOR United States Patent Oice 3,095,694 Patented July 2, 1963 3,095,694 REACTION MOTORS Hermine Johanna Walter, Dover, NJ. (P O. Box 61, Manchester, Tenn.) Filed Get. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 849,329 3 Claims. (Cl. 60-35.6)

This invention relates to reaction motors and more par- ;icularly to rocket type motors, which offer the high fruel efficiency of air breathing engines, however which can be operated at very great altitudes and which do not need any booster for start.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel reaction motor, comprising a casing, similar to conventional rocket motors, wherein full rich propelltants are burned to produce high temperature gaseous products, containing combustible fuel constituents.

Another object is to provide a convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle, connected to the said casing, the nozzle being dimensioned =to accelerate the gaseous combustion products from the casing to supersonic velocity.

Another object is to provide the wall of the diverging section of the exit nozzle with ducts for inducting ambient air, whereby supersonic mixing and after combustion with the said combustible fuel constituents occur in the divergent section.

A still further object is to provide the air inducting ducts, with means for generating sound Waves Ito enhance mixing of the air inducted and the unburned fuel constituents.

Another object is to provide the wall of the divergent section inside with smooth uneveness like wavings grooves or roughenings.

The above said objects and further novel features of the present invention Will become more obvious from the following description in connection with the appended drawing. However, this is given only by way of example and by no means restrictive for fthe scope of the invention.

In the dnawings FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle, which is adapted to operate in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of a section, with parts broken away, showing a reaction motor, powered by a monopropellant, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a section, showing a reaction motor, powered by a liquid bipropellant, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a section of a convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle provided with means for generating sound waves in .the yair inducted, according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is the sectional view of part of the divergent part of a convergent-divergent nozzle, as shown in FIG. 1, which is provided with internal roughenings.

Referring first to the embodiment illustnated by way of example in FIG. 1, numeral 1 shows a convergent-divergent nozzle, the divergent part of which being provided with several ducts to induct ambient air. The said ducts may be provided with extensions, to enhance the induction efliciency. To this end the divergent part of the nozzle is subdivided into three segments with bell shaped overlappings 2, 3, 4 as shown in the drawing. The nozzle number 1 is upstream closely connected to a conventional rocket casing, not shown in the drawing, comprising a propellant charge and a combustion chamber. The hot gases, produced, 'are passed :through the throat of nozzle FIG. l, thereby accelerated to supersonic speed in the divergent part.

The lair inducted into the supersonic stream of hot gases, containing combustible constituents, mixes rapidly with the said gas stream, followed by prompt aftercombustion.

The reaction motor -according to the present invention compares tavorably with conventional air breathing engines, since the aftercombustion takes piace at higher pressures than hitherto. In addition to this the motors according to the invention do -not need to be boosted, they can be operated at yany altitude and exhibit a considerably higher impulse, than conventional rocket motors.

llt is to be understood, that other kind of air ducts may be provided for, like channels, axial slots or other openings.

In order to effect operation of the reaction motor according to the invention, the said propellant charge is ignited in conventional manner. starts immediately at rest and increases during flight. It is of special importance, that the air inducted, mixes rapidly with the hot gas stream under supersonic conditions, so that the aforecombustion inside the divergent part may be completed to any desired degree.

The reaction motor, as shown in FIG. 2, is powered by e. solid propellant number 8, which may be installed for cigarette type burning or may be provided with any star like cavity. The divergent part 5 is provided with a multiplicity of induction openings 6. Every opening is provided with small extensions toward inside. By this means the supersonic mixing of the hot gases with air inducted is enhanced. Number 7 shows the subsonic combustion chamber. Number 9 demonstrates any pay load.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3, which is a reaction motor, powered by a liquid bipropellant. The divergent part 10 is provided with several inlets, 11 and 12. Liquid fuel, say gasoline, is delivered from the large tank 14 via valve land line 16 to some of the said inlets, as shown by number 12. The subsonic combustion inside combustion chamber 21 is provided for by part of gasoline from 1-4 and 18 as well as any oxidizer from the small tank 15 via valve and line 17. Both combustion components are mixed and burned by means of combustion nozzle 19. Number 20 shows the pay load. Number y13 shows the rear half of an annular freostream guidance, sunrounding the nozzle number 10. By this arrangement it is possible to adapt the consumption of fuel and oxidizer optimally to the instant tiight conditions, thus yielding optimum savings. Instead of using an oxidizer in 15 together with 17, 18 and 1'9 any liquid or solid rocket propellant can be used for the subsonic combustion in 21.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. Number 22 is the divergent part, number 2S is the throat of the exit nozzle. The divergent part is provided with air induction ducts number 23. The latters are inside provided with reeds number 24, Ias used for producing sonic oscillations. The nozzle is closely connected upstream the nozzle throat to a casing, comprising propellant and subsonic combustion chamber. In performing operation, the air stream, inducted at 23, causes vibnation of the reeds 24, which transmit sonic oscillations to the air and to the gas stream inside of 22. By this way too, the supersonic mixing and hence the supersonic aftercombustion is enhanced.

In general it is deemed advisable to keep the interior parts of jet motors smooth in order to reduce wall friction. However it was found to be of advantage to provide the wall of the divergent pant of the nozzle, according to the invention, with smooth inside uneveness like grooves or wavings, not shown in the drawing. Another kind of uneven'ess is shown in FIG. 5, whereby the inside of the wall of the divergent part is provided with roughenings. FIG. 5 is a sectional view, numbers 2.6 and 27, taken in FIG. l. The said unevenness enhance the supersonic mixing such, that .the increase of wall friction becomes negligible.

The propellants, to be used in the subsonic casing, are to be such, that the combustion gases still contain lInduction of ambient air` 3 combustible constituents. On the other hand the said subsonic combustion should furnish sutlicient thrust, to provide for autoboosting, induoting of ambient air as well as flight in high al-titudes. The flame temperatures of incompletely burning propellants are considerably lower than those of conventional rocket motor pnopellanits. By this way the interior parts and especially the nozzle throat are much less corroded and deformed than in conventional rocket motors. Propellants with heat of eX- plosion lof at least 500 cal/gram, heat of combustion of at least 1100L ca1./ gram and flame temperatures rang-v ing between 1500 K. and -up to 3000 K. the latter especially for'high altitudes, prove favorable in operating the reaction motors according to the invention.

This application is a continuation-impart of application Serial No. 698,796, led Nov. 25, 1957, which has now become abandoned.

I claim:

1. A reaction motor comprising a casing, means within the casing for producing high temperature combustion products having an unburned fuel constituent, a nozzle having walls forming a convergent section and a divergent section, said nozzle being connected to .the casing and in luid communication with said means, said nozzle dimensioned to accelerate the combustion products to supersonic velocities in the divergent section, ducts in the wall of said divergent section for indue-ting ambient air into said divergent section whereby combustion of the unburned fuel constituents occurs in the divergent section.

the casing for producing high temperature combustion products having an yunburned fuel constituent, a nozzle having walls forming a convergent isection land a divergent section, said nozzle being connected to the casing and in uid communication with said means, said nozzle dirnensioned to accelerate the combustion lproducts to supersonic velocities in the divergent section, ducts in the wall of said divergent section for inducting ambient air into said divergent section, and means, mounted within said ducts, for generating 'sound waves in the in- 2. A reaction motor comprising a casing, means within ducted air to enhance mixing of Ithe inducted air and th unburned fuel constituent whereby combustiony of the runburned fuel constituent yoccurs in the divergent section 3. A reaction motor comprising a casing, means withir the casing for producing high temperature combustior products having an unburned fuel constituent, a nozzle having walls forming fa convergent sectlionrand a divergent section, said nozzle being connected to the casing and in fluid communication with said means, said nozzle dimensioned to accelenate the combustion products to supersonic velocities in the divergent section, ducts in the wall of said divergent section for inducting ambient air into said divergent sec-tion, the interior of the said walls being provided with small unevenness Ito enhance mixing of the inducted air and the funburned fuel constitruents, whereby combustion of ythe unburned fuel constituents occurs in the divergent section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 511,418 Gathmann Dec. 26, 1893 2,405,415 Eksergian Aug. 6, 1946 2,476,185 Goddard July 12, 1949 2,763,983 Kafka Sept. 25, 1956 2,944,623 Bodine July 12, 1960` 2,952,123 Rich Sept. 13, 196()` FOREIGN PATENTS 166,258 Great Britain July 11, 1921V OTHER REFERENCES Analysis of Heat Addition in a Oonvergent-Divergent 35j Nozzle, by Hearth et al., NACA Technical Note2938,

April 1953, 18 pages, pages 10 and 11.

Theoretical Analysis of the Performance of a Supersonic Duc-ted Rocket, by Hensley, NACA RM-E-7105, published Feb. 13, 1948, pages 2F14, 16 and 17.

vControl By Sound, Time Magazine, vol. LXXIV, No. 5, Aug. 3, 1959, pages 45 and 46,V 

2. A REACTION MOTOR COMPRISING A CASING MEANS WITHIN THE CASING FOR PRODUCING HIGH TENPERATURE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS HAVING AN UNBURNED FUEL CONSTITUENT, A NOZZLE HAVING WALLS FORMING A CONVERGENT SECTION AND A DIVERGENT SECTION, SAID NOZZLE BEING CONNECTED TO THE CASING AND IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID MEANS, SAID NOZZLE DIMENSIONED TO ACCELERATE THE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS TO SUPERSONIC VELOCITIES IN THE DIVERGENT SECTION, DUCTS IN THE WALL OF SAID DIVERGENT SECTION FOR INDUCING AMBIENT 